THE British economy is unbalanced. It's propped up by huge consumer spending fuelled by the biggest house price boom since the 1980s.

THE British economy is unbalanced. It's propped up by huge consumer spending fuelled by the biggest house price boom since the 1980s. Consumer debt will reach £1trillion this summer. A house price slump or interest rate hike could break our bank.

That's probably why Mr Brown intends to tackle the housing shortage.

The Government's research shows an annual shortfall of 175,000 homes.

The House Builders Federation say over 20,000 homes are delayed in Wales.

Gordon's taking action to deal with the "infrastructure problems," but what a shame he waited seven years.

Meanwhile, manufacturing, exports and investment are sluggish. Business investment fell in two of the last four quarters - and manufacturing investment declined by a third over three years.

In contrast, a Lib-Dem Government would improve what you get and how you pay. We'd make tax simpler and fairer, taxing incomes over £100,000 a year at 50%, and use the extra money to abolish student fees, personal care charges and invest in local Government services in Wales.

We'd scrap Council Tax and replace it with Local Income Tax. By comparison, Labour's extra £100 for the elderly to help with council tax bills is another sticking plaster.

The money will disappear after 2004/5... a pre-election bribe?

The Lib-Dems would also scrap the Chancellor's Child Trust Fund - because it's basically a gimmick. Instead, we'd fund early years education. We'd also scrap the "Barnett formula" which is based on population and replace it with a new formula based on social and economic need. Labour hasn't even tried to make this obvious change.

So while a Labour Government gives you council tax, tuition fees and charges for long-term elderly care, a Lib-Dem Government would abolish all three.